100 Years
by bbst
Summary: Raoul's life with Christine, from when they met, to his death. RXC
1. Meeting

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**A/N: I noticed there was a lot of unjustified Raoul-hate fics out there, so I decided to make a sweet RXC fic. Enjoy! The song is by Five For Fighting. Btw, I know that they first met and fell in love when they were fourteen, but what's one year?**

**I'm fifteen for a moment**

**Caught in between ten and twenty**

**And I'm just dreaming**

**Counting the ways to where you are**

Raoul de Chagny loved the country side in Sweden. He loved the meadows, the fresh air, the absolute feeling of _freedom_ that it gave off.

But what he loved most of all was the sea, for it was the sea that caused him to meet the beautiful girl who had lost her scarf in it.

He was mesmerized by this girl's voice and beauty. He had followed her from village to village just to hear her sing. And now, because of this wonderful sea, he had a chance to actually talk to her.

So, with no thought to his clothing or the windy weather, he jumped into the sea to retrieve the soaked piece of red yarn. After emerging soaked to the bone, he handed the angel back her scarf.

"Thank you so very much!" the angel cried. "I thought this would be lost for sure." And with that, he wrapped her pale arms around his wet torso.

Suddenly, she let go and a lovely blush covered her cheeks. "Oh, please forgive me for being so forward! I'm just so happy." She paused, then stuck out her hand, "My name is Christine Daae."

_Christine,_he thought, _such a beautiful name. _He shook her hand and replied proudly "I am the Vicomte Raoul de Chagny". Perhaps his title would impress her.

"Oh, so you are French? My poor mother was from France. Her name was also Christine..." the angel trailed off, a sad look striking her features. But then she lit up again.

"You must come meet my Papa! I'm sure he'd love to meet the young man who had rescued my scarf".

She grabbed his hand and began to tug him forward.

"Wait-" he started, suddenly remembering his governess. Particularly how angry she would be to see him this wet.

"Oh, please come! I so want you to meet Papa. He's the best fiddler in all of Sweden, you know!"

One look into her pleading eyes, and he knew that he would never deny her anything.

And so they spent a wonderful summer together. They listened to her father play the violin, went on picnics, and told each other stories. Most often, the story of Little Lotte and the Angel of Music. Christine liked it so much, he began to call her his own "Little Lotte".

When autumn came, they both knew that he had to leave. His brother Phillipe was going to send him off to a boarding school where they would teach him some military skills. They both stood in her backyard, trying not to cry.

"I'll never forget you, Little Lotte" he said.

She looked down for a long moment before looking tearfully into his eyes.

"I love you Raoul", she cried. The next thing he knew, they were sharing a long passionate kiss.

_This_, he thought,_ is surely the greatest moment of my life._

After they broke apart, his angel ran back into her home, sobbing her poor eyes out. How he wished he could run after her! But he knew he had to leave. But at that moment he decided something.

_I don't care that she's a peasant. I don't care that my family will never approve. I don't care what society thinks. One day, I will make you mine, Christine, my angel. I promise._

**So, there's chapter one. Chapter two will be out either later today or tomorrow. And it will probably be very long. If anyone wants to beta this, let me know. :)**


	2. Love

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing **

* * *

><strong>AN: So here's chap.2*throws confetti* It will focus on Raoul seeing Christine again at the Opera house and them getting married. I'm also combining things from different versions. I really don't want to rewrite what we know happens, so I'll have a little of that and random RXC fluff time. Hmm...I think I just heard some EXC shippers vomit...**

**I'm twenty-two for a moment**

**And she feels better than ever**

**And we're on fire**

**Making our way back from Mars**

Raoul loved Paris. He loved the people, the food, and the music. _Especially_ the music. For music was what reminded him of _her. _Of course, over the years he had meet and even courted several beautiful and charming women, but none of them could ever replace his Christine, his angel, in his heart.

Soon after arriving in Paris, he had purchased season tickets to the Opera House. (Phillipe had been glad, for now he could visit his current lover, La Sorelli, and simply claim he was taking his brother to the opera.) Raoul hoped that maybe he could find someone who looked or sounded like Christine so he could remember her better.

But the Prima Donna's, Carlotta's, voice sounded anything but heavenly. In fact, it made him want to bang his head against the wall(he told this to Philippe once and he swore he heard laughter from Box 5). And yet people seemed to love her. So he was quite surprised when he went to a performance one evening and heard that there would be a change in casting.

"I'm afraid Carlotta has come down with a cold",stammered the obviously nervous manager "In her place, mademoiselle Christine Daae will be singing."

Raoul nearly fell out of his seat. It couldn't be...it couldn't be! But there she was on stage, the girl-_the woman-_who had been plaguing his thought for the past seven years. And how she sung! It was like she had become the angel Raoul always thought she was.

As soon as it was over, Raoul rushed to her dressing room. Surely she would remember him! _But_, he thought, _she may not still feel the same way about me_. He apprehensively knocked on her door.

"Come in" she called.

As he entered, he suddenly knew the perfect way to tell how she felt.

"Christine Daae, where is your scarf?" he asked, trying to sound offended.

Judging by the confusion on her face, he would have to try harder.

"And after I jumped-"

"Into the sea to fetch it!" she finished. "Oh, Raoul, it is you!" As she embraced him, Raoul felt that old spark come back between them, but this time it was more intense. He could see in her eyes affection for him, but was it the same affection that he held for her?

**(Skip to the Rooftop scene, because we all know what happens after he leaves her dressing room.)**

**Fifteen, there's still time for you**

**Time to buy and time to loose**

Raoul was feeling very conflicting emotions. On one hand, he should probably be angry with Christine. First, she insisted that her favorite childhood tale of the Angel of Music was real. Surely she must have more sense than that! Did she miss her father that much, that she would cling to a tale he once told?Second, she disappeared after he left her dressing room. Third, she refused to speak with him for weeks. Her only reason was that "it was for his own good". Really, how could being away from her ever be a good thing?

On the other hand, here she was, begging him to stay on the roof with her, where it was "safe". When he asked who he was to protect her from, he was surprised to hear it was the angel that Christine had so loved. What's more, that this same angel was the alleged Phantom of the Opera!

"Christine, there is no Phantom of the Opera! You must have been dreaming", he replied. Maybe if he said this enough, Christine would believe it herself and they could move on with their lives.

Christine seemed bitter that he didn't believe her. "Raoul, I've seen him! He took me down to his house by the lake. He's a monster! He lives in a hole, like a mole, and composes day and night. And his face! It's so distorted and deformed, you could hardly call it a face! And he has a terrible temper. You saw what happened to poor Monsieur Buquet. I'm afraid that may be me one day..."she started to cry after that last part.

"Christine, darling, please don't cry." He calmly walked to her and wrapped him in his arms. If his Christine needed him, he would do anything for her. He told her just that and more.

Getting down on one knee and taking her hands, he said with a voice full of love ,"Christine, Little Lotte, my angel, my darling. I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you all those years ago in Sweden. There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought of you. If you'll allow me, I'll always stay by your side and protect you from anything. Whether it be loneliness, goblins, society, ghosts, or this 'phantom'. Christine Daae, will you marry me?"

To his great relief and utmost joy, she threw her arms around him and happily cried "Oh, yes, yes, I will! I love you Raoul de Chagny. I have since you fetched my scarf from the sea. I don't care what anyone says or thinks. I would love to be your wife."

And so they shared their second kiss, content with the knowledge that it would not be their last.

**There's never a wish better than this**

**When you only got a hundred years to live**

Raoul thought several things as he steered the boat through the sewers. If he had known what would happen, he would have tried harder to convince Christine that they should have just left Paris after they had become engaged. But Christine said that she owed it to her old mentor to let him hear her sing one last time. Raoul only agreed under the conditions that they left town right after the performance was through.

He had faced problems with his family. Philippe and his sisters were appalled that he wanted to marry a common girl from the opera. Philippe kept trying to talk him out of it, which caused them to fight often. His sisters claimed that Christine was only after his wealth and title. After one had called his angel a "sneaky little whore", he had ceased to speak to all of them and had stayed in a hotel.

The night of the performance, they were both nervous. This Phantom, after all, was a master of deception and trickery. But Christine assured him that everything would be fine. If only he hadn't listened to her, he could have spared them that whole ordeal.

The Phantom – that bastard!- had actually kidnapped his angel. He was so scared as he ventured down into the bowels of the opera to find her. Oh no, it wasn't fear for himself, but for his angel. Who knows what that madman might do to her?

But his rescue attempt had failed, for the monster had thrown a noose over his neck right after he made it into his lair. He had told Christine that if she did not marry him, then he would kill her "precious young man." He told Christine not to say yes to the monster. He would gladly die if it would bring her happiness. He was shocked when Christine had actually kissed him, but he knew that she did not love that monster. She was doing this for him. She did not want him to die. In a way, that kiss was a relief for him, because it removed all the doubt that his family had put into his head. She loved him. She loved him so much that she would sacrifice herself to the Phantom if it would save his life.

It turned out that the Phantom had some good in his heart. He had realized that he Christine would never love him and let her and her young man go.

They had eventually made their way out of the sewers. They silently found a cab, went back to their homes to pack their things, then traveled to the train station. He did not know what to say. He knew that she was upset over the broken hearted man she left behind, and that her "angel", her last connection to her father, was gone for good.

"Raoul?", her sweet voice asked him. As he looked at her, she suddenly pulled him down into a deep kiss. "I love you, Raoul." she said.

"I will never get tired of hearing you say that", he replied with a grin. She spent the remainder of the train ride to Sweden saying "I love you" over and over.

They were married on the first day of spring. The church was small, quaint, and pure white. A perfect place for his angel to get married in. As she walked down the aisle in her white dress, he thought he would die of happiness. She looked so, so beautiful, like any moment she would grow wings and fly away. But instead, she walked to the altar and stood beside him. They had exchanged the regular vows, though he was sure that nobody said them more sincerely then they ever did. When it came time for their kiss, he actually did swoon from happiness(much to everyone's amusement).

They had their reception at the same spot by the sea where they had first met. Their guest were all old friends of Christine and her father, so they all knew the story of the red scarf. Even so, they encouraged Raoul and Christine to tell their versions of it, anyway.

From morning till night they danced, ate, sung, and shared stories with their guest. When night came, they went back to the little cottage they had bought. As they made their way to the bed, the only thing that was said between them was "I love you".

**Ugh, that took forever to write.**

**I use a lot of commas, don't I? Damn my need for proper punctuation.**

**Any EXC shippers sick yet? Hehheh**

**Remember to please leave a review and tell me how I'm doing. This is my first time writing fanfiction so I could really use some feedback. :)**


	3. Life

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing**

**A/N: Yay, chapter 3! This chapter will focus on Raoul and Christine's life and children. **

**I'm thirty three for a moment**

**Still the man, but you see I'm of age**

**A kid on the way**

**A family on my mind**

There was to be a party that night to celebrate the Vicomtess de Chagny's third pregnancy. It was a little late for this, for she was already in her eighth month. But in her early months she had felt so ill that they couldn't have possibly done this before now. As Raoul checked himself in the mirror before he went downstairs(he had to look good for his angel), he thought about the past eleven years.

After they were married, they had spent a wonderful two weeks in Sweden together. They did everything together, from cooking(he had nearly set the house on fire), to horseback riding, to walking, to singing(she had to assure him that his singing wasn't atrocious), to certain marital activities at night.

Though one day, it seemed that something was bothering her.

"Christine are you alright?," he asked. Hopefully she wasn't ill.

"It's just...," she trailed off and looked down and a blush covered her face.

"It's just _what_, Christine?"

"It's, well, are you really sure this is what you want? I mean, I know you love me, I do! But are you sure that you're fine with giving up your title? Your family?," she inquired. He was stricken by the look on her face, as if she expected his answer to be _yes._

He kneeled in front of her and took her hands. "Christine, dear, I don't care if the Prussians come back and destroy all of France. You're all I want in this world, even if we lose everything and end up living in a barn."

She smiled her radiant smile and threw her arms around his neck. Then she asked with a confused expression "Wait, if we lost everything, why would we have a barn?"

He shrugged. "Well, it would be someone else's barn. They just wouldn't know we were there."

She laughed and embraced him again.

It turned out that they didn't have to worry about any of that. After those first two weeks, his family actually showed up at their door! They looked terribly awkward and uncomfortable, but Christine, bless her heart, invited them right in.

"Raoul," Philippe started after they were all settled in the living room, "we want to apologize to you and your wife. We've judged her unfairly and we thought you were throwing your life away. But we miss you Raoul, and if you love this girl then we're willing to respect your decision and welcome her into the family. Please, say that you'll forgive us."

Raoul looked at them for a moment before turning to his wife. "Well, Christine, what do you say? Are you willing to forgive them for all the grief they put us through?"

His family lowered their heads in shame. Then one of his sisters spoke up. "Christine, please forgive us! I know that we were being shallow and cruel, but we were only trying to look out Raoul. He's our baby brother and we wanted what was best for him. But we see now that _you_ are what's best for him. So please, come home with us so we can all be a family." She ended her speech with tears in her eyes.

Christine got out of her seat and went over to embrace her. To her eternal credit, she forgave them immediately. "You know, I've always wondered what it would be like to have sisters. And a brother," she added after glancing at Philippe.

"Oh joy, another younger sibling," he joked.

So that was how they returned to France. Philippe gave them a small country estate as a wedding gift, which Christine decorated exactly to her taste. Raoul was happy for his family's acceptance, for now he could afford to give his angel the life she deserved(even though the barn did sound a bit fun). One day, a few of his old friends came by and invited him to dinner. He wasn't sure if he should leave Christine alone, but she was actually quite enthusiastic that he went.

"After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder," she teased.

When he came back late that night Christine was waiting up for him. After he went to kiss her, she took his hand and motioned for him to sit beside her.

"Darling, while you were gone I had the doctor come over" she told him.

"What? Is there something wrong dear? Are you ill?," he fretted.

She only smiled and replied "No, Raoul, something is incredibly _right_!" She grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach. Only then did he noticed the small, hard bump that had been growing for two months.

"You don't mean...," he protested even as a smile spread across his face.

"You, Vicomte de Chagny, are going to be a father," she said proudly.

He couldn't voice the words in his head, so he just kissed her, and she heard them anyway.

His family had been thrilled. His sisters loved children, and couldn't wait for a new niece or nephew. Philippe had been especially happy. He was not married and would mostly never have children, so he was delighted to hear that the Chagny name would live on after all.

Pregnancy had agreed with Christine. She always seemed to be happy and glowing. Even when she vomited each morning and her feet swelled, she just smiled and claimed that she would go through anything for her child. One evening they decided to talk about names.

"How about I choose a boy's name, and you pick a girl's name?," she proposed.

"That sounds fine" he agreed. After thinking for a moment, he said "How about 'Nicolette'? It's very pretty sounding, and it would fit someone of noble blood."

"That's a beautiful name Raoul. What about a middle name?"

"Hm, I think I'll let you decide that," he offered.

"Well, I think- well, no that wouldn't work" she faltered.

"No, no, please tell me! I'm sure anything you think of will be wonderful," he encouraged.

"Well, I was thinking 'Marguerite'. It was always my favorite role to sing. But it you think it's inappropriate-" She cut off.

He only smiled. "Nicolette Marguerite de Chagny. That sounds wonderful. Now what about a boy's name?"

She smiled sheepishly and said "Well, I always thought if I had a son, I would name him 'Gustave', after my father".

"I think that's a nice, strong name for a boy" he replied. "And for a middle name" it was his turn to look sheepish, "how about 'Philippe'?"

She gave him an understanding look. "You really love him, don't you?"

Raoul looked flustered for a moment. "It's just, he's been like a father to me my entire life. And to me, we're using both out Father's names."

She gave him a loving kiss on the head. "Raoul, I'd be honored to have his name be part of my child's. But we'll have to wait another month to see who we get."

"I love you, Christine," was all he said.

A month later, Gustave Philippe de Chagny was born. He had Christine's eyes, Raoul's hair and face, and Philippe's nose. Raoul and Christine were thrilled and couldn't wait to be parents. Well, if they could wrestle their newborn son away from his uncle. Philippe had been happy that the boy had partially been named after him, and that they had a small resemblance. (They found out later that he and his sisters were betting on what the baby wold be. His sister's, who had been wanting a cute little niece, were a bit disgruntled.)

"I think you're brother might be trying to steal our child, Raoul," Christine commented dryly as Philippe showed off their baby to a few of his associates.

"He knows you would go after him with a sword if he ever tried," Raoul joked, even though he was starting to fear the same thing.

"We'll have to have at least a dozen just so we can keep one of them," Christine predicted.

"Maybe not a dozen, but we can surely use more," he replied.

Five years later, their little Nicolette Marguerite was born. She was the most darling angel, and she looked just like her mother(though Raoul insisted that they shared the same toes). At first, Gustave had been jealous. But then Raoul had told him that part of being a big brother was protecting his "cute little sister" from harm. He also told Gustave that when she was older, she would love and admire him(which Gustave ate right up). Ever since he had been very protective of "his Nicky".

They were a very happy family. Raoul made sure that he was home often so he could spend all the time he could with his children. After all, he had never known his own parents. And his angel was a wonderful mother. She hardly let the servants care for her "precious angels" for her, even though they said it wasn't proper. She sang to them all the time in her divine voice, which they loved more than anything.

And now, they were about to have a new child. The children were very excited. Gustave wanted a brother to play rough with, and Nicolette wanted a girl to play with. Raoul secretly wanted a boy solely for Gustave's sake. If he had another girl to look after, he'd die of exhaustion before he was thirteen.

As Raoul went down to the party and was surrounded by his family and friends, he thought that life surely wouldn't get any better.

Three months later, Richard Erique de Chagny was born.

**I'm forty five for a moment**

**The sea is high and I'm heading into a crisis**

**Chasing the years of my life**

If there was one thing that Raoul never imagined, it was going to his beloved brother's funeral. He supposed he should have seen it coming. Philippe was twenty years older than him, and at the age of sixty had developed cancer. They all kept telling him that he would be alright, but he just gave them a small, knowing smile. On his deathbed, the only thing he said to Raoul was "You'll make a great Comte".

So now he was officially Comte de Chagny, and Gustave was a Vicomte. Oh, poor Gustave, he was stricken over his uncle's death. Philippe had been like a second father to the boy. Even though he was now a young man of twenty two and about to be married himself, he cried openly. Nicolette, who was now a beautiful young woman of seventeen, wore a dark veil over her face and hugged her aunts. Richard, only a boy of twelve, had his arms around his mother, who in turn had her arms around her husband.

As a Comte, he would now have more responsibilities. But that also meant he had more power and money. And the first thing he did when he came out of mourning was rebuild the opera house. Even though Christine was shocked, he explained that he knew that she missed it, and that the children shared her love for music.

"This will probably cost a lot of money," she warned. He looked at her a moment. Even at forty five, she still looked beautiful.

"Anything for you darling," he said.

"I love you," she replied.

**It's finally done...*falls over***

**There you have it, so much RXC fluff that you can use it make Erik plushies. Then send those plushies to all the EXC shippers who were hospitalized after reading this.**

**Only one more chapter after this. I'm going to try and make it sad.**

**Btw, I made a poll on my profile about what I should write after this. Please vote!**

**Remember to review! If you do, Raoul and Erik will mud wrestle in your bathtub!**


	4. Eternity

**Disclaimer: Meh**

**A/N: Yay, last chapter! May be a bit sad, but the ending is sweet. **

**Half of time goes by**

**Suddenly you're wise**

**Another blink of an eye**

**Sixty-seven is gone**

**The sun is getting high**

**We're moving on**

Raoul realized that he never truly felt like he aged until he learned he was going to be a grandfather. Oh sure, he and Christine were delighted when Gustave and his wife, Cosette, told them that they were expecting their first child. But when he looked in the mirror while washing his face that night, Raoul realized that his hair was almost entirely gray and he had several wrinkles. With a bigger shock, he realized his wife looked about the same as he did. They were only forty seven at the time, but the stress of Philippe's death and re-opening the opera house took its toll on them.

Cosette was a wonderful girl. She had wonderful auburn hair and piercing green eyes. She was very kind and considerate, but when angered could be very stubborn. Traits which, Christine told her, would make her an excellent mother. Gustave was usually very laid back with his wife, but since she became pregnant he had become very protective.

"Gustave, I'm not an invalid," she told him while she tried to reach for a book across her very round abdomen.

"I know, sweetheart, but I just want you to be okay," he replied.

She teased him. "You're turning more into you're father every day, you know."

He smiled. "God willing."

Their first child was a boy, who they named Sebastien Tristan de Chagny. He had his mother's eyes, his father's hair, and his great-uncle Philippe's nose. ("Philippe lives on," Raoul commented dryly.)

Christine had burst into tears when she first laid eyes on her grandson. "I can't believe my baby has a baby!," she sobbed. When she looked at her children, she still saw them as small things with cherub faces who always seemed happy to see her.

"Don't worry Mother," Gustave tried to comfort her. "Soon enough it will be Nicolette's turn." This brought on another round of sobbing from his angel, which caused Raoul to send a hard glare in his son's direction. Nicolette was to be married in four months.

"No fighting in front of the baby," an exhausted Cosette groaned. She had asked Christine to give her singing lessons so she could sing her baby a lullaby and not have him cry louder. She learned enough to be able to soothe Sebastien into a deep sleep many nights. And she continued to do so for her second son a year later. They named him Etienne Maurice, and he looked just like his mother.

The man Nicolette married was not what everyone expected. At nearly twenty, she was beautiful, sweet, and very social. If she tried, she could have married a marquis or duke. But instead, she fell in love with a composer named Antoine Dupont. He was handsome, with black hair and blue eyes. He was born poor but he had made a fortune writing popular songs and operas. Nicolette had a crush on him, but it turned into love when he wrote an entire opera and dedicated it to her. The night of its premier, he took her aside and proposed.

"I know I don't have a title to offer you or a guarantee that I'll always have money, but I can promise you that I can love you more than any other man ever would. You inspire me so much, Nicolette. I've been able to write much more passionate music since I met you. Please, if you marry me, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world."

Nicolette merely kissed him as hard as she could. "I'll take that as a yes, then?" he chuckled.

"Yes, you may. By the way how much did you make from this opera? It was a large crowd in there." she asked.

"I believe the managers said I shall receive twenty thousand francs before the week is out. This opera is sold out for months," he answered. (For some odd reason, this information made her mother's face pale.)

After they were married, they had traveled over Europe for two years in order to promote his music. They had returned to France when they learned that she was with child.(Once again, Christine had burst into sobs.) She gave birth to a little girl who they called Genevieve Christine Dupont(much to her grandmother's delight.) She looked just like her father and showed interest in music before she could even walk. Over the next ten years, they had three more girls who they named Pamina, Julietta, and Ophelia. They all seemed to inherit their father's gift for music, and Julietta and Ophelia inherited their grandmother's singing voice. Antoine couldn't have wished for a better family, and often told people so.

Richard was always their most eccentric child. He looked exactly like his father, but he acted totally different. He would usually be seen climbing something tall, eating some strange food, or terrorizing the girls he knew(especially his sister). He also had a keen sense of adventure. When they went on family outings, he would often run ahead of them to go explore some cavern or forest. This had worried Christine immensely. What if her last little angel got himself hurt? But Richard always laughed at her worried expression and assured her that he could care for himself.

The day after he turned eighteen, he decided that he wanted to see America. He heard that the cities there were amazing, there was a diverse tundra, and most of all, an old friend of his, Claude, lived in New York City. His family didn't want him to go. They were all worried that he would get himself into some sticky situation, but they knew that his heart was set on this. So kissing his family goodbye and prying his sobbing nieces and nephews off his legs, he went off.

When he reached New York, the first thing he did was seek out Claude. He worked with his twin sister in a shop that sold exotic pets, spices, and clothing. When Richard first entered the shop, he was not blown away by the merchandise, but by Helen, his friend's sister. She used to scare him with her white- blond hair and icy blue eyes(he called her the "Ice Queen"), but now those features seemed very appealing. He walked up to her and hugged her from behind.

"What do you think you're doing?," she cried and tried to punch him.

"Just trying to warm my Ice Queen up," he replied pleasantly.

"What did you just-wait, Ice Qu- Richard?," she asked in a disbelieving voice.

"Yours truly," he replied.

It took awhile, but he eventually convinced her to give him a chance. After five dates, a necklace, two love poems, and a diamond engagement ring, she decided that she liked him. Richard had thought that Claude would be angry for getting with his sister, but he was actually relieved.

"It about time someone came and took her off my hands. Just remember, if you make her mad, she will hurt you." Helen, who overheard this, later punched him in the nose. They went back to France to get married. At first, the family was apprehensive, even afraid in some cases, of this beautiful yet cold looking woman. But they soon saw that all that ice seemed to melt around Richard. Richard also looked very happy to be with her, so they gladly welcomed her into the family. (Though there was an incident at the wedding where Gustave may have said the wrong thing about dress and she gave him a black eye.) After their honeymoon in Vienna, they returned to New York. Three years later, they had a baby girl who they named Mary Josephine. She looked like her mother, except her hair and eyes were slightly darker. She also had her father's personality. He was grateful for his daughter since Helen didn't want anymore children.

Since his family was always so busy and far apart, it was hard to get them together. But the Christmas of his sixty-seventh year, Raoul managed to bring them all to his house. With a family of seventeen people, it was the only place that they would all fit. He looked around happily as his angel shared stories with their children. His grandchildren were busy gawking at their American cousin. He closed his eyes and suddenly he saw an image of his angel when she was still just a girl in Sweden.

"Grandpa?," a voice asked. He looked up to see Julietta, who was now an aspiring opera star.

"Yes, darling? What is it?," he asked her.

"I was just wondering how you and grandma met," she answered. "Won't you tell us the story?" Suddenly it became quiet as everyone else started listening in.

"Oh yes, tell us grandpa!," Genevieve said as she bounced her son, Gaston, on her lap. So Raoul-with the help of his wife- recounted the story of how they met, to how the Phantom caused them trouble, to their wedding, to the births of their children. A lot of them were shocked to learn that the Phantom of the Opera was real, and what's more, that he had almost killed their father and made their mother marry him!

"You could write a book about it!," Genevieve had exclaimed.

"No, that wouldn't be a good thing," Raoul said with a frown. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we should let the poor phantom rest in peace. He went through enough while he was alive. He doesn't need people prying into his life ever again."

Christine was astounded. "Raoul, since when do you care so much about the poor man?"

"I don't really care about him, but after all these years I can understand him better. He loved you Christine, and for a time he was an angel to you. I know that losing you can drive a man to extremes," he answered.

"Oh, Raoul, you never change!," she cried and went to give him a kiss(much to the displeasure of some of their younger grandchildren).

"I love you," he told her.

**I'm ninety nine for a moment**

**Dying for just another moment**

**And I'm just dreaming**

**Counting the ways to where you are**

Since the day they were married, Raoul had never thought that he would have to live without his angel beside him. _Surely, _he thought, _I would die without her_. But that wasn't how it worked out. They were both eighty five when it happened, long past their life expectancy. He found her looking through old newspaper articles that had reviews of operas she had taken part in.

"Can you believe this was over sixty years ago?," she asked him. "When did we get so old?"

"Christine, my angel, you will never be old in my eyes," he told her.

She had smiled her still girlish and radiant smile, then stood to walk over to him. Then halfway there, she suddenly cried out and collapsed on the floor. Raoul had panicked, calling for help as loud as he could and sobbing over his wife, begging her to get up. The servants had eventually come in, put their mistress in bed, and called the doctor.

"Please, quickly, tell me what's wrong with her," Raoul pleaded to the doctor when he was done examining his wife.

"Comte, please sit down," the doctor said as he guided Raoul to a chair. "I'm afraid that your wife doesn't have much longer in this world. Her heart is simply worn out. You and your family should have enough time to say their good byes. I wish here was more I could do, but there isn't. I'm very sorry." And he truly was, for all of France knew of the great love between the Comte and Comtess de Chagny.

Raoul couldn't believe his ears. His angel was going to d-d-d- he couldn't even think it! After all these years, how she leave him? What about their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren? What about her books, her charity events, her pet birds, her favorite tea set, her favorite spots-

"Sir, please, you need to compose yourself before you go in to see her," the doctor said while putting a hand on his shoulder. It was only then that he realized that he had been sobbing. After telling the servants to send for his children immediately, Raoul went to his darling angel's bed side. How frail and breakable she looked! Raoul put his face close to hers and tried to imagine how she looked on their wedding day.

"Christine, angel, please, wake up," he sobbed brokenly. To his surprise, she actually did open her eyes and smiled at him sadly.

"Raoul...I think soon...I'm actually..going to be...an angel for you," she panted out.

He only sobbed harder. "Christine, I can't, I won't, live without you!"

She gave him what would have been a glare if she had the energy. "Raoul, please...promise me that...you'll live as...long as you... can. You need...to be there for...our family. That's all...I ...ask of...you."

"I promise, angel," he said while he kissed her knuckles.

"And one...more thing," she said. "Kiss me...one last time."

And so he leaned down and gave her the hardest kiss he could muster. She also put a lot into it until...until...her lips stopped pushing against his and her eyes closed forever. Raoul just sat there for a moment staring at that used to be the love of his life. Surely his angel on earth had not actually departed. But then he realized that she had, and to started to sob once again.

After her funeral, he was never the same. As old as he was, it was hard to be social. But after his angel was gone, he became almost a total recluse. Almost, because his family still insisted on seeing him at least once a week. They were afraid that he, too, would suddenly die. But years passed, fifteen long, painful, lonely years. Years filled with crying every morning and night, going through her belongings, visiting her grave every Sunday, and spending a good amount of time sleeping so he could dream about her.

Now he was a hundred years old, and he could feel death approaching. But he wasn't afraid, oh no. He had lived a long and eventful life. He had ten great-grandchildren scattered around the world. The Chagny name would surely live on. Besides, after his death he would see his beautiful Christine again.

His vision began to get blurry, and he could faintly hear his family telling him their goodbyes. Then everything went white.

**Fifteen, there's still time for you**

**Twenty two, I feel her, too**

**Thirty three, you're on you're way **

**Everyday's a new day**

"_My name is Christine Daae."_

"_I would love to be your wife."_

"_I love you."_

"Hello again, dearest Raoul."

To his astonishment, his angel stood in front of him. She looked like she did the night he first came to her dressing room door, only more beautiful and very, very, happy.

"Christine!," he cried out in astonishment. She only giggled and kissed him. As he went to touch her face, he realized that his skin was now smooth and young looking instead of wrinkled and spotted.

"It will be that way for the rest of time, darling," his angel told him. "From now on it will just be me and you, together forever and always. And the children, when it comes their time."

"Wait, how do we know that their okay?," he asked her. He'd hate to think that his family was grieving over the loss of a grouchy old man like him.

"We can watch them anytime we like, darling," she informed him. She walked over to what looked like a small pond. In it, they saw their rather large family standing by two identical gravestones.

"We'll miss you Father," Gustave said, who was now elderly himself. "But we know that you're with Mother now, and that you'll be happy together forever."

Raoul looked back at his angel. "Together," he started while holding out his hand and smiling.

"Forever," she finished while taking his outstretched hand,

"I love you," they said in unison.

**Fifteen, there's still time for you**

**Time to buy and time to loose**

**Fifteen**

**There's never a wish better than this**

**when you only got a hundred years to live**  
>-<p>

**A/N: Aaaaaaaaand, it's over! Hallejulah! I hope anyone who read this enjoyed it, even if you do like EXC better. And please, if you write an EXC fic, don't make Raoul an ooc douchebag who eats puppies and steals candy from children. And remember, LEAVE A REVIEW!**


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